Specialist officers are en route to a sprawling desert homestead in South Australia, readied to descend six mineshafts in a bid to retrieve missing four-year-old Gus Lamont.
Officers with tactical gear and specialised equipment will enter the pits at Oak Park Station, after police first became aware of their presence on the property.
A police source indicated officers will commence the long, harsh journey to the mine shafts over the course of Tuesday morning.
STAR squad tactical police, trained in belays, climbing, and more challenging operations will take their time entering the narrow pits to ensure their own safety.
The “delicate” and “complex” search is expected to last about three days, though media are not permitted to join the crews.
The four-year-old was last seen on September 27 at his family’s homestead on the station, about 40km south of Yunta, 350km northeast of Adelaide.
His grandmother had watched him playing on a mound of dirt before he vanished.
The unfenced, uncovered shafts lie on the property about 5.5km and 12km from the family home.
Police, volunteers, and search and rescue teams had not yet scoured the area on foot.
On Monday, Deputy Commissioner of SA Police Linda Williams said the new search intended to either locate evidence or eliminate the shafts from further investigation.
“We are determined to explore every avenue in an effort to locate Gus Lamont and provide some closeure for his family,” she said.
It comes after police drained a 4.5 metre-deep dam on the property at the beginning of November “out of an abundance of caution”.
The dam lay just 600m from the homestead but turned up no evidence of the young boy.
Police divers had already explored the dam, but police said the draining would allow for a more comprehensive investigation of the area.
Police concluded a ground search preceding that on October 17.
Australian Defence Force personnel, State Emergency Service volunteers, and police scoured 95 square kilometres on foot, within a 5.5km radius of the homestead over four days.
An earlier 10-day search involving trackers, local property owners and police concluded without uncovering any clues as to young Gus’ whereabouts.
Original search areas extended further beyond the homestead with mounted operations units and Polair.
The extended search area has been estimated to be about 470square kilometres.
Police had been hopeful their extensive efforts on the ground would provide at least a clue to the direction young Gus may have walked.
So far they have not.
“Task Force Horizon is conducting multiple lines of inquiry to locate Gus Lamont,” police said.
“These investigations have not uncovered any evidence of foul play.
“The family of Gus Lamont have continued to cooperate fully with police and are being supported by a victim contact officer.”
